How old were you when you had posterior tibial tendon surgery? - Foot Problems Message Board

WriterChick · 09-09-2008, 08:19 PM

For those who've had PTTS--how old were you at the time of surgery? I'm wondering if my 34 years of age is at least kind of common, lol.

The back story: After months of dealing with an increasingly fallen arch and related posterior tibial tendonitis and trying to treat it conservatively (orthotics, walking boot, etc.) with minimal results & increasing pain, I've decided to give in to surgery (scheduled for next week). I hated to do it, but I'm just tired of the chronic pain and have mentally readied myself to hopefully correct this once & for all.

I'm 34, and the doctors I've seen have told me I'm pretty young for this surgery (which was partially why it was recommended, as it would be a long time to go through life wearing a brace--plus I'm very active, a work at home mom of a toddler, etc.) My right foot has always been fairly flat, but hadn't caused me any problems until late last year, when I think I injured the tendon during a dance class (high-impact, bare feet). Ever since then, my foot has almost completely collapsed, and the tendon becomes more & more inflamed.

I'm still nervous about the surgery, but I was blessed to come across this board, because I REALLY needed to hear from people who've gone through this. It's great that I'm not the only one nervous about such a big step, with feelings of, "Have I done all I could otherwise?" Now I'm much more certain the answer to that is definitely "yes."

WriterChick · 09-09-2008, 08:27 PM

Whoops...I should clarify from my first post that I'm actually having a posterior tibial tendon transfer and osteotomy.

sunny77 · 09-09-2008, 10:08 PM

Hi there,
What kind of osteotomy are you having (Evans, sliding, etc)? Have you been given a good idea of what to expect in terms of recovery, pain, rehab, etc?

I am 31 and have had both of my feet/ankles fixed due to PTTD. I had it initially as a teen, but it healed and came back in my later 20s. I had the posterior tib tendon repaired (no transfer) and had an Evans osteotomy. The Evans is where a bone block is put in on the outside of the foot to lengthen and straighten the foot. It creates an arch and the tendon serves mainly as a shock absorber. I had no problems with my right foot until my left was fixed, so almost 10 months after I had the first fixed, I had the second fixed. I am now about 16 months post-op on the first and 7 on the second. I am back to running (with some pain, but not due to PTTD stuff...just healing stuff and it will get better) and working out...it was really hard to be mostly inactive for a year (between the two feet). There are a number of other people on this board who are young and active with PTTD. Like you, we've gone through the conservative treatment and failed.

One piece of equipment I really recommend is a knee scooter, like a Turning Leg Caddy or a Roller-Aid. They allow you to have one of your hands free and to get around a lot easier than w/ crutches alone. I barely used crutches, really only for stairs or in situations that made it hard. Shopping was possible using a basket. Also, a shower chair, handheld shower head, cast cover, many pillows (for elevation), ice packs and easy to grab snacks or meals and maybe something like Senna-S (bowels get messed up on pain meds) would all be good to have.

What questions do you have? Keep us posted on how your surgery goes and how you're doing!

smile2006 · 09-10-2008, 05:29 AM

I had surgery one month ago today (tendon tranfer and Dwyer osteotomy), at 43 years old, for a posterior tibial tendon tear. I had a hard fall down a set of stairs which I think caused the tear. I'm glad I did the surgery because my lifestyle is very active including my job demands. Luckily my tear was conclusively enough diagnosed that my insurance didn't make me go through anything conservative first. If you had read many of the posts here you know the first couple weeks are the worst with the pain, swelling and extreme immobility. Just know everyday gets better and better especially after the first two weeks. I'm now in a walking cast and getting around probably 50% of the day with no crutches. Also, I'm not sure if it is your right or left foot. If you are able to drive I think that makes a huge difference in getting around. Good luck with your surgery!

lmrich · 09-10-2008, 02:54 PM

I am 38 and had the surgery last week. Instead of renting or buying a knee scooter; I have a wheelchair (free from a family member) and I bought a four-wheel walker with a seat from Costco for $99 and can put my knee on the seat and scoot. You will need help the first week or two as your toddler adjusts to the new routine. If you have to spend the night in the hospital, have someone stay with you if possible or at least get the phone numbers for the nurse's pager. I have three kids and have been able to homeschool them the last 3 days (4 days post-op); but a toddler is different. Good luck and read the boards for all of the wonderful posts on how to handle this.

Linda